In a meeting held by the Committee of the annual Al Gaffal long distance Sur Bin Na’air 60ft Traditional Dhow Race it was declared that the race is now twenty years old and is stronger now than ever. ‘This race is now embedded in the history of the UAE,’ said Saeed Harib, CEO of Dubai International Marine Club, (DIMC) the race organiser. ‘It never occurred to me in 1991 when the boats set out on the first race that twenty years later there would be over three thousand people involved in the same race. I am very proud to have been part of it,’ he added. The race was started after a request from Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum who wanted to make sure that the region didn’t lose its rich seafaring history and he has been a strong supporter of the race ever since.

The Committee includes members from the Government including the police, coastguard, civil defense and medical services, the Westin Hotel catering, TV and aviation as well as the management team of DIMC. The operation is on a grand scale with up to one hundred dhows competing with over one hundred dhow support boats plus boats from the race officials. As well as all the above there are spectator boats and this year spectators from Dubai Marine Yacht Club and Dubai Offshore Sailing Club will join in a flotilla to watch the race. Some of the organizers head out to the Island a week in advance to prepare for the traditional celebrations and games and to arrange utilities and sleeping areas. There is an advance party from the TV and virtual eye to organize the satellite coverage. Rashid Amiri, Director of Dubai Sports Channel, asserted during the meeting that the channel would make all the necessary efforts to make the event a success and provide good coverage.

The logistics have moved on somewhat since that first race and so has Dubai with the backdrop for the arrival of the boats on Saturday May 29^th in Mina Seyahi nothing like it was for that first race in 1991.